Childhood: Before the Summon
by ShadowX-Over.Writer
Summary: Asbel Lhant lived a normal overbearing life. However, he wished to be free so he could do what he wanted. Little did he know that such a thing came at a giant price. Modern setting AU. -Completed-
1. Chapter 1

Well, this is my first attempt at a Tales of Graces + Tales Series fic. I had this idea for a while and am seeing if it is worth making. Lots of thought and planning were put into this fic, so I hope I do not disappoint.

**Important Note: **Anyways, the story is placed in a modern setting AU and is composed of all the worlds from all the Tales Series. Many characters from other Tales games will be making a crossover into this story. Sorry if they make it a little confusing and that certain characters from Graces are not used. Well, hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Childhood: Before the Summon  
**

**Chapter 1**

_"Over four thousand years ago a great war had ensued between humans and monsters known as Summon Spirits. The Summon Spirits were powerful beings that sustained the balance of mana that flowed through the world, giving it life. However, after an incident where a Summon Spirit had murdered a human after being asked for assistance, humans began to view Summon Spirits as a threat. Origin, king of all spirits, then ordered the elimination of all humans, to preserve their existence. _

_The war raged for hundreds of years, neither sides giving way. However, a great hero rose and finally put a stop to the war, ending the threat of the Summon Spirits. From that point on, the remaining Summon Spirits seemingly disappeared off the face of the planet…"_

"Asbel! Hubert!"

Two young boys glanced over their shoulders to see a stern man with red-brown hair standing a little off to the side.

"Dad, you're back early." the blue haired boy said in surprise as the reddish haired boy next to him looked less than enthusiastic.

"It's getting late, so hurry back home _now_." The man said.

The reddish haired boy, seemingly the older of the two groaned in frustration before turning to the older man behind the two boys.

"Sorry, Zamaran, dad is calling," Asbel said in disappointment.

"Maybe you can tell us more about the story later," Hubert offered.

"It is not just a story, young ones," Zamaran explained. "But a true legend. I believe that the Summon Spirits still exist in today's world but have merely gone into hiding-"

Asbel winced when he heard his father call for him again, this time a little more forcefully.

"Yeah, okay! I heard you the first time!" Asbel called back before running off towards his father.

Hubert paused and bowed respectively to Zamaran. "Thank you for the story, Mr. Zamaran."

The older man smiled and nodded before Hubert ran off to catch up with his brother.

* * *

"That Zamaran guy really knows some cool stories," Asbel said with a grin. "Wish we could have heard more of that story though."

Hubert nodded. "He was an adventurer before coming here so he's bound to have a lot of great stories to tell."

Life in Luin was always a bore according to Asbel Lhant, the eleven-year-old, self-proclaimed adventurer.

The town was built on top of a dry lakebed that used to be known as Lake Sinoa. Many grassy hills and plains surrounded the whole area. The roads were made up of pebble and rock with wooden bridges scattered all over town.

It was generally a quiet town without much to do or see, much to Asbel's boredom. Of course, most towns in Sylvarant were usually farmland and peaceful rural areas.

Though it was a nice environment, Asbel couldn't help but feel that there was much more beyond the gates of the town. So many different things lied beyond the outskirts and Asbel could only imagine what was out there.

His father gave him books about the cities he visited during his business trips, but it was hardly interesting compared to actually experiencing it for himself. There were so many things waiting for him, all kinds of towns, cities, people, foods, sights, and so much more. How he wished to be an adult already and leave this place.

"Yeah…" Asbel said gazing up at the sky and putting his arms behind his head. "It sounds great to travel around like that, completely free."

As he gazed up at the clouds, he allowed his imagination to run wild within his mind.

Zamaran had once told them that Luin was known as the "City of Hope" because it took in many refugees from the war. However, it was later devastated by the Summon Spirits, killing the residents and drying up the lakebed. Luin's name was changed to the "City of Devastation" at the time until being restored by the Great Hero of Legend once the war had ended.

Asbel was curious about who the Hero of Legend was. But when he asked, Zamaran told him that the hero's identity was shrouded in mystery. No one knew where the hero came from or who he was. Legend only said that the Hero was able to end the war by sealing away the Summon Spirits.

These legends are so much more interesting than actual history, Asbel thought. If only they were real so Asbel could go on a real adventure.

"But can you believe that there was a great war between people and spirits?" Hubert asked, snapping Asbel back to reality.

The red headed boy chuckled. "Nah, it was just a story. There's no way that those things could have ever existed. It's complete baloney if you ask me."

Hubert looked down in thought. "I don't know. What if he's right, though?"

Asbel looked at his brother questionably as Hubert came to a stop and looked around anxiously. "If they really do exist…the way that Mr. Zamaran talked about them…they sound pretty scary…"

"Hah! If one does happen to show up, I'll beat it to a pulp, no problem!" Asbel said confidently while puffing out his chest to emphasize his point.

"But Asbel, these Summon Spirits sounds pretty powerful. Do you really think you could win if you ever got into a fight with one?" Hubert asked, still unconvinced.

"Of course! I mean, come on, they just sound like petty monsters if you ask me-"

"Asbel, Hubert, that is enough," Aston said, causing the two boys to flinch. "I will not tolerate you speaking so idly about such things."

Once his back was turned, Asbel stuck his tongue at him, causing Hubert to get nervous.

"Hmph, I'm already eleven, I'll talk however the way I want," Asbel grumbled under his breath so that Aston couldn't hear. "Those Summon Spirits are monsters for killing innocent people…"

_"Then what are humans?"_

Asbel's eyes widened in shock before feeling a large chill run up his spine. He suddenly broke out in cold sweat as he felt his body tremble.

'W-What in the world was that voice…?' Asbel thought as he anxiously looked around.

"Asbel? What's wrong?" Hubert asked

Snapping back to his senses, Asbel frantically shook his head before glancing at his brother, slight bewilderment still evident in his eyes.

"Huh? Oh it's nothing. I just thought I heard something, that's all," Asbel said before racing off ahead again. "Race you home!"

"Hey! Asbel! No fair!" Hubert called before racing after him.

Aston watched his two sons with an unreadable expression before glancing up at the sky.

* * *

As the two reached the garden in front of the Lhant mansion an elderly man greeted them with a bow.

"Welcome back, Master Asbel, Master Hubert."

"Hey, Frederick." Asbel greeted, stopping in front of the man.

"Hurry on in, the sun is setting and dinner is just about ready." Frederick said as he ushered the two boys into the house.

Asbel let out an exasperated sigh. Everyday, he and his brother always had to be in the house before the sun set. He didn't understand what was so important to be inside before dark out, considering they lived in a generally safe town. There were the occasional wolves, but hardly anything to worry about since they usually stayed in the forest on the outskirts.

"Welcome back, boys." a woman with blue hair greeted as she descended from the staircase.

"Hi, mom." both Asbel and Hubert responded.

She quickly crossed the room and over to the two boys. "Hubert, go and get into warmer clothes. It's supposed to be chilly tonight."

"But mom, I'm fine." Hubert said but Kerri ushered him up to his room.

This was also something Asbel didn't understand. Whenever he and Hubert came back in after a long day of playing, Hubert was always instructed to dress in warmer clothes. In the winter, Kerri was very strict in having the youngest Lhant in earlier. Asbel had asked the reason behind these circumstances, but was always answered by the typical "we'll tell you when you're older."

Even now at eleven, his parents wouldn't tell him why they had to be in everyday before night fell. Hubert didn't seem to mind too much, but even he had to be a little curious.

"Come now, Master Asbel," Frederick said, motioning for the boy to head to the dining room. "Master Hubert will be down shortly, so please take a seat."

Asbel heaved another sigh before reluctantly obeying. When he made it to the dining room, he went over to his chair and slumped down in it.

Seeing that he had a few minutes alone, Asbel thought back to Zamaran's tale.

If only that story actually did happen and he lived in a world of thrills and adventure. He would travel the land, protecting innocent people from the treachery of the Summon Spirits.

He imagined himself training as a knight and helping out a prince who was on the run from his evil uncle. His friends would join him along the way and would travel around the world, on a mission to protect all that they care about. They would defeat monsters, alien robots, and powerful dragons.

'I would be a great warrior…' Asbel thought to himself with a big goofy grin on his face.

However, his thoughts were interrupted when Kerri and Hubert entered the dining room and took their seats at the table.

Hubert was wearing a white, long sleeved shirt with a greenish grey vest. He also wore long dark blue jeans and around his neck was a light grey scarf.

Asbel gave him a skeptical look. "Are you sure you're not going to overheat in all that?"

"I said I was fine before…" Hubert said, his cheeks getting slightly rosy from the warmth.

"We wouldn't want you catching a cold now would we?" Kerri said before turning to her oldest child. "You weren't doing anything reckless today, were you?"

Asbel let out an annoyed groan as he slumped down lower into his chair. His parents always assumed that he was getting into some sort of trouble. Why couldn't they just trust him for once?

"We were just listening to Mr. Zamaran's stories." Hubert answered, successfully taking the attention off of Asbel.

"Oh? What was Mr. Zamaran telling you today?"

"He told us a story about the Summon Spirits and how they caused a great war supposedly hundreds of years ago." Hubert explained.

For a brief moment, Asbel could have sworn he saw a disappointed expression cross over his mother's face. However it was gone just as it appeared.

Asbel grew even more suspicious of his mother's sudden change of face when she abruptly changed the subject.

Now that he thought about it, his father did yell at them when they were talking about Summon Spirits on their way home.

What did they think of the Summon Spirits? Why did they want to avoid the topic?

Before Asbel could dwell more his thoughts, Aston strode into the room and took his seat at the head of the table.

As Frederick served them their meal, Asbel was still too caught up in his thoughts to concentrate on eating. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the thought of his parents and the Summon Spirits. Even if he were to ask, they would probably shake him off, excusing it as nothing.

That's how it always was. All his questions were never answered. It was as if his parents were purposefully trying to keep him and Hubert in the dark about so many things, his father especially.

Asbel didn't see his father too often due to his work. Aston owned a private company located in Palmacosta. When it came down to his dad's work affairs, Asbel had no clue about it, nor did he care. Asbel would usually only see him during dinnertime when he was home. Other times, the man would either be away on business meetings or locked in his office filing paperwork.

"Asbel, stop playing with your food." Kerri said, though Asbel was too distracted to take notice.

He continued rolling a couple of his peas on his plate as his mind continued to wander.

After a while, Aston cleared his throat before speaking, catching the attention of everyone in the room.

"In a few days we are having some very important guests coming over from Altamira." Aston explained as Asbel's interest was immediately perked.

"Whoa, really?"

"Is it for your company?" Hubert asked.

Aston nodded. "A spokesman from a very important corporation there is coming down for a business meeting. He has agreed to stay here for the next few days."

Altamira was one of the most well known cities in Tethe'alla, one of the neighboring countries closest to Sylvarant. The city was placed on the small strip of land that connected the two countries together. In the past, Sylvarant and Tethe'alla were constantly at war with one another over land and power. Though the countries have past since gotten over their differences, the relationship between them is still rather strained. For a Tethe'allan company to even consider partnering or negotiating with a Sylvaranti company was big news.

The man then looked over at Asbel, his gaze narrowing. "This man holds a very high position in the corporation and it is of great importance to show him the utmost respect. If something happens, our business relationship could be put into jeopardy. Do you understand, Asbel?"

"Why are you only asking me?" Asbel said with pout.

"Do you understand?" Aston repeated, his tone firm.

Asbel felt anger boil up within him as he gritted his teeth and balled his fists. However, he knew that getting into an argument with his dad here would get him nowhere and reluctantly agreed.

Aston nodded before excusing himself from his meal to start to make preparations.

Once he left, Asbel left his unfinished meal at the table before leaving the room in a huff.

Kerri let out a sigh before Hubert politely excused himself from the table and rushed after his hotheaded brother.

* * *

"Asbel, calm down!" Hubert called as Asbel fumed his way all the way up the stairs until he reached his room.

"I can't stand it! All dad does is scold and lecture me all the time," Asbel growled while slamming the door closed after Hubert walked in. "I'm sick and tired of always being treated like a child!"

Hubert watched his brother worriedly before Asbel let out a loud groan and flung himself onto his bed.

"He just has high expectations considering he said you'd be inheriting the company from him one day." Hubert explained.

'That's all dad cares about, his stupid company." Asbel muttered while narrowing his gaze.

Aston had made it blatantly clear on several occasions that Asbel would someday take over the company, which the boy thought was ridiculous. Who would want to take on such a stuffy job? There was no way that Asbel would even consider taking over his dad's company. Especially when the boy only thought about traveling.

However, Asbel's words meant absolutely nothing to Aston as the man insisted that he would inherit the company, which only fueled the boy's reluctance to accept it.

"I could care less about the company," Asbel spat as he placed his arms behind his head. "I'd rather travel the world like Zamaran did before he became blind. To be free…"

He lifted his gaze up to stare at the ceiling fan. 'If only…

* * *

Later that night...

_Asbel suddenly found himself souring through the air. The skies were so beautiful and the air was warm and inviting. Below him were puffy white clouds that looked as if he could settle right on top of them._

_He wondered if the land below him looked just as beautiful. Spotting a break in the clouds, he immediately flew over and glanced down._

_However, to his disbelief and horror, fire and ruin lay below. War raged all around as bodies of defeated soldiers lay scattered across the battlefield. _

_'W-Wha…What is this?' Asbel wondered in horror._

_A sudden cry snapped him out of his thoughts and he quickly looked down to see a group of soldiers surrounding someone._

_Daring to take a closer look, Asbel flew down to see what was happening._

_Upon closer inspection, the soldiers were encircling a young woman with green hair. She wore rather revealing clothes on the upper half of her body, causing Asbel to blush slightly, and a long flowing skirt. On the left side of her body were interesting tattoo designs. _

_One of the soldiers standing around her grabbed one of her arms and yanked them behind her, causing her to cry out in pain._

_'She's in trouble!' Asbel realized._

_The woman looked up at him with a pained expression, her eyes meeting his._

_An indescribable feeling suddenly throbbed within Asbel's chest as he stared at the woman. The feeling felt familiar yet foreign. Asbel wasn't sure what to make of it. However, his thoughts were put on hold when the woman's lips started moving._

_"…As… plea… sa… your…"_

* * *

A bewildered gasp escaped from Asbel's mouth as his eyes snapped open. He quickly sat up in bed as he broke out in cold sweat.

'What…what in the world was that dream about…?' Asbel said to himself as he struggled to get control of his breathing.

Once he finally calmed down, Asbel thought back to his dream. It was much different from his usual dreams and he wondered why the details were so clear as if he were actually there.

And the woman…was she calling out to him to help her? He couldn't quite make out what she was saying as her voice was like a gentle whisper.

The redheaded boy quickly glanced over at the bed next to his to see Hubert sound asleep. He scampered out of bed and over to his brother.

"Hubert! Hubert! Wake up!" Asbel said in a hushed voice while shaking Hubert out of his sleep.

Hubert let out a sleepy groan as he was slowly brought out of his slumber.

"Huh…?" Hubert mumbled still not completely awake.

"I had this weird dream!"

"…What else is new…?"

A vein popped out on the side of Asbel's head as he pulled Hubert up to a sitting position and shook him by the collar.

"Wake up!"

"Ugh…I'm up…" Hubert groaned as his head lolled back and forth.

Asbel quickly relayed his dream to Hubert as the blue-haired boy stared at him sleepily.

"…So you saw a woman in your dream?" Hubert asked.

Asbel nodded. "Yeah and it looked like she was in trouble."

He sat back on his haunches and looked up at the ceiling in thought.

"It was so real. It was like I was living the moment and…hey!"

Hubert had apparently fallen back asleep, leaving a rather bewildered Asbel to dwell on the thoughts of his dream until morning.

* * *

Asbel let out a rather loud yawn as he and Hubert trudged their way down the path that led to their school.

"Why so tired, Asbel?" Hubert asked. "Were you up late reading comic books again?"

Asbel threw his brother an annoyed glare, causing him to immediately clam up.

'He doesn't even remember…' Asbel grumbled to himself as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. 'Sheesh…I didn't get any sleep after that weird dream… Looks like I'll be sleeping in class today.'

"Hey wait up you guys!"

Asbel and Hubert looked over to see a pink-haired girl rushing to catch up with them.

However, before she only made it half way before she stopped and desperately tried to catch her breath.

"Cheria…" Asbel sighed in exasperation before he and Hubert rushed over to her side.

"Are you all right, Cheria?" Hubert asked in concern.

"You really shouldn't be running like that." Asbel said to his friend.

Cheria had been friends with the Lhant brothers since they were all very young. The three of them were like the Three Musketeers as they did almost everything together. However, due to Cheria's illness, she wasn't able to push herself without difficulty and would sometimes have to be left behind. Her grandfather, Frederick often watched over her since her parents were often busy with their jobs as doctors.

"You…guys…just walk too fast…that's all." Cheria panted.

"We could have just walked back, you know," Asbel before turning around and knelt down on the ground with his back facing her. "Here, I'll give you a piggyback."

Cheria immediately blushed before turning away stubbornly. "I-I can walk on my own."

Hubert let out an amused sigh before lifting his arms in a shrug. "It's always like this between you two."

"That's because Asbel is horrible at carrying people!" Cheria shot back causing an annoyed expression to cross over Asbel's face.

"Fine, then have Hubert carry you instead."

Both Hubert and Cheria looked at Asbel in surprise before the blue-haired boy shook his head.

"Asbel, you know I'm not strong enough to carry Cheria."

Cheria glared over at Hubert with a slight blush, causing the boy to flinch.

"Are you saying that I'm heavy?!" Cheria demanded.

"No!" Hubert cried while putting up his hands defensively. "I'm just worried that I'll accidentally drop you or something!"

"And I though you were the polite, sensible one! Un-believable!" Cheria shouted before going into a small coughing fit.

Asbel patted Cheria on the back before giving Hubert a smug look. "Better apologize before she gets any madder."

The smaller boy stammered incoherently before letting his shoulders slump in defeat. "But I didn't do anything…"

As Asbel turned around while laughing, he accidentally bumped into someone.

"Whoops, sorry 'bout that." Asbel said while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

He looked up and felt a chill run up his spine when he found himself staring into crimson red eyes.

The stranger had light blonde hair (with one strand of hair standing up) that contrasted with his tanned skin. He wore a black opened vest and a white t-shirt underneath with a pair of ripped jeans. There was also a jet black scarf wrapped snug around his neck.

However, the most distinct feature was his sharp, red eyes that seemed capable of boring holes into anyone with just one glance.

The stranger narrowed his eyes at the boy, causing Asbel to flinch slightly at the intensity.

"Watch where you're going, kid." The stranger said coldly before pushing past Asbel and continued on his way.

"Hey!" Asbel shouted after the boy though he was ignored.

"Well that was rude." Cheria said as she put her hands on her hips.

"He only looks like a few years older than me, how dare he call me a kid!" Asbel growled while holding up a fist.

Hubert glanced at his watch before his eyes widened in bewilderment.

"Hey! We're going to be late!"

"Ack! Come on!" Asbel quickly grabbed Cheria and got her onto his back.

Cheria let out a shriek as her face went completely red with embarrassment. "Asbel! What are you doing?! Put me down!"

**xxxXX To be Continued XXxxx**

Author's note: I know it's not perfect, but it's a start. If there is something I can work on to improve this chapter, please let me know! Please Review! :D


	2. Chapter 2

**Reminder: **The story is placed in a modern setting AU and is composed of all the worlds from all the Tales Series. Many characters from other Tales games will be making a crossover appearance into this story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

**Chapter 2  
**

A flurry of activity erupted at the Lhant manor as the house staff frantically got the place ready for their incoming guests.

Kerri had Asbel and Hubert dress in their best clothes, which were tight in all the wrong places.

"Ow!" Asbel cried as Kerri attempted to comb out his natural bed head.

"Asbel, please stop squirming."

"But you're pulling my head off!" Asbel complained as Kerri let out an exasperated sigh.

"This meeting is very important to your father, so please behave."

Asbel rolled his eyes. His parents always thought that he was going to end up causing trouble for them, which frustrated the boy. It wasn't like he meant to cause trouble; it just ended up that way most of the time.

After an hour of squirming, combing and dressing, Asbel was finally released from his torture. He looked at himself in the mirror with an annoyed look on his face. His hair was completely different from his usual hairstyle and he was dressed in a stuffy dark green suit.

When he came out into his bedroom, he was greeted by a surprised look from Hubert, who was also dressed in his own suit, and a stifled chuckle.

A small growl of annoyance escaped from Asbel before he tugged irritably at his collar.

"Man, this thing is suffocating." Asbel groaned as Kerri came over and fixed the front of his suit.

"Now, Asbel, promise me you'll be on your very best behavior today for your father's sake." Kerri said with a concerned expression reflecting in her eyes.

Asbel looked to the side, slightly annoyed that she was bringing it up again.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Asbel grumbled while folding his arms.

"Lady Kerri, Master Asbel, Master Hubert," Frederick said as he entered the room. "Our guests have arrived."

"Thank you, Frederick," Kerri said with a nod. "Alright, let's not keep them waiting."

She quickly ushered Asbel and Hubert out of the room and out to the front yard.

A nice black car was parked out in front upon their arrival. Asbel recognized it as one of his dad's cars that he kept in the garage underneath the estate. He probably sent one of the attendants to pick up the Tethe'allan company representatives from the airport.

Several people stepped out of the car and one of them opened up the side door, allowing a tall man to exit the vehicle.

Aston immediately bowed out of courtesy and in greeting. "Welcome to Luin, I hope you had a smooth flight."

The man gave a respectful smile and bowed as well. "I thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Lhant. I am honored to have such an esteemed corporate head to allow us to stay at his home."

"Oh no, the honor is all mine." Aston said.

Asbel couldn't help but let out a small groan as he rolled his eyes.

Kerri shot him a stern look that told him to cut it out, much to Asbel's annoyance.

He didn't understand why people acted so superficial to each other on business terms. It was as if they were trying to butter each other up so that they could get on their good sides.

'All for the sake of the company.' Asbel thought bitterly.

He glanced over at the man his father was talking to.

The man was tall and dark skinned with light brown hair that was tied into a small ponytail. He had a small beard and bushy eyebrows that outlined sharp blue eyes. Though he was wearing a suit, he still looked rather well built. If Cheria were around, she would describe him as "tall, dark and handsome."

At dinner a couple nights ago, Aston had described the man as a very successful corporate worker for someone who had just recently graduated college at a fairly young age.

"Are these your sons?"

Asbel looked over to see the man looking at him and Hubert.

Aston nodded. "Asbel, Hubert, this is Van Grants, the spokesman for World Corp."

At the mention of the world famous corporation, Asbel's eyes widened in shock.

"World Corp?! You mean that super awesome corporation that manufactures and sponsors so many cool things?"

"Asbel, manners!" Aston scolded.

Van chuckled. "No, no it's quite all right. World Corp is well known after all. His reaction is justified."

Asbel couldn't believe that someone from the world-renowned World Corp would be staying at his house for a couple of days. World Corp is a composite enterprise of banking, food, entertainment and merchandising. It sponsors so many different things that Asbel liked such as the type of music he often buys, trading cards and several other things. There were so many questions that he wanted to ask this Van person about the corporation but he doubted that his dad would even let him within ten feet of the man.

A sudden twinge of bitterness welled up in the bit of Asbel's stomach, causing him to flinch.

The feeling was so sudden that Asbel didn't know where it had come from or why he had felt that way.

"Oh? And who is this?" Aston asked.

Glancing over to where Aston was looking, Asbel saw a small boy standing in front of the car. He had his head down so Asbel couldn't tell what kind of expression he wore.

"Don't be shy, come over here." Van said with a gentle smile.

The boy glanced up slightly, hesitating before slowly making his way over to Van.

He had medium-length black hair that made his already pale skin appear lighter. His eyes were sharp and held a vibrant blue-violet color. There was also a golden earring hanging from his left ear.

The boy looked to be around his age if not a little younger considering how short he was. If Asbel didn't know any better, he could have sworn he was a girl at first.

"This is Leon. I found him when he was five years old and I became his guardian. He was wandering the streets of Darilsheid* when I decided to take him in," Van explained, patting the child's head. "Despite his poor disposition, I could see he had great potential."

Asbel looked at the boy curiously, who was looking off to the side.

Suddenly, the wave of bitterness and resentment came crashing at Asbel with much more force. It was such an intense feeling that it caused Asbel's stomach to churn and his heart to hammer in his chest.

'What is this…?' Asbel wondered in bewilderment as Leon noticed he was being looked at and faced the redhead.

When their gazes locked, Asbel felt the sensation become stronger, threatening to tear him apart from the inside.

A cold, bead of sweat fell down the side of Asbel's face as his body started trembling uncontrollably.

'What…why is this happening…? What is this feeling…?'

Leon's gaze turned into a glare, sending a chill up Asbel's spine.

"Um…why is he glaring at us?" Asbel whispered over to Hubert, trying to distract himself from the foreign sensation.

Hubert glanced over at the boy for a moment and then back at Asbel.

"I think he's only glaring at you." Hubert pointed out.

Taking another look, Asbel realized that Leon was glaring only at him.

"The hell is his problem?" Asbel muttered before glaring back at the younger boy.

"Um, Asbel…I don't think glaring back is going to help anything." Hubert sighed.

Aston noticed the two boys glaring at each other and went over to quickly defuse the situation. "Asbel, cut that out this instance! They are our guests if you have forgotten."

"He glared at me first!" Asbel argued, earning him a stern glare from his father.

"Now, now, let them work it out. Boys shall be boys," Van said well humorously as Leon looked away. "Besides, I apologize for not informing you in advance that I was bringing him along. As his legal guardian, I didn't want him to be left unattended."

The redheaded man sighed silently before shaking his head.

"It's no trouble at all, believe me. The guest bedroom has two beds so it should be fine," Aston reassured before turning to Frederick. "Please escort our guests to the guest chamber."

"Of course, sir." Frederick said with a bow before he and Kerri guided the guests into the house.

Once they were gone, Aston turned to Asbel once again. "I will say this only once, stay away from that boy. I don't want you getting into another fight with our guests."

"Huh?" Asbel said in confusion. "We weren't fighting. Like I said before, he was glaring first!"

"It doesn't matter who started it, you both had a part in it. I think it'd be best to keep you two separated. I will not tolerate you making a fool of the Lhant name. Am I clear?" Aston said.

Asbel couldn't help but scoff under his breath as his fists started shaking beside him. His dad always treated him as if he were inferior and it was grating on his last nerve.

However, getting angry about it wouldn't help the situation in Asbel's favor so he kept his mouth shut.

Aston grunted, deciding to leave things as they were before heading back into the mansion to talk to the guests.

Once he was out of earshot, Asbel ran his hands through his hair furiously, returning it to its natural style and let out a frustrated shout.

"Man, why do I get blamed for everything? He always makes it out to be my fault," Asbel ranted while throwing up his hands into the air. "Sheesh, he was the one who started it."

He then thought back to that strange feeling he got when he looked at the boy. Never before had he felt such intense feelings towards an individual, especially not like that. The feeling was like a mixture of bitterness, resentment and guilt all washing over him at once, nearly drowning him in it. He wondered if Hubert had a similar reaction.

"Hey," Asbel said as he looked over at Hubert. "Did you notice anything funny about that kid?"

Hubert lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "Huh? Like what?"

"Um, I dunno," Asbel said, his mind in a whirlwind of confusion. "For some reason, I felt this strange feeling when I saw him. Like I felt mad and annoyed all of a sudden. It was weird."

The blue haired boy blinked at him a couple times, obviously not understanding what had conspired between the raven-haired boy and Asbel.

Asbel lifted a hand to his chin as if deep in thought. "Hmmm…he'll most likely be in the guest chambers…"

If he could just talk to the boy, maybe he could figure out what in the world that feeling was.

"Asbel! You can't really be thinking of sneaking in there to see him, are you? Dad specifically told you not to!"

A mischievous grin spread across Asbel's face before coming over and slinging his arm around Hubert's shoulders.

"Which is exactly why we should pay him a visit."

"No! If dad finds out, we'll get into serious trouble!" Hubert cried, desperately trying to talk his brother out of another bad situation. "Why do you want to see that guy again if he makes you mad?"

"I want to figure out why and maybe talking to him about it will settle things. Besides, he's probably pretty bored from having to be dragged around on all sorts of business trips. I know I would. Come on!" Asbel said, his mind made up before racing back towards the house.

"Wait up, Asbel!" Hubert called before rushing to catch up with his brother.

In their haste, they failed to notice a pair of eyes watching their every move.

"…"

* * *

Once Asbel reached the house, he quickly darted to the side and over to the guest room window. Though the windowsill was reachable, he wasn't tall enough to see over it.

"Hmm…" Asbel mumbled before Hubert finally caught up.

"Oh, good timing! Here, give me a boost."

Hubert gave him an annoyed look before sighing. He reluctantly got down on his hands and knees beside the window and Asbel climbed onto his back, allowing him to reach the window.

Peeking inside, Asbel spotted the black haired boy sitting down at the table, reading a book. The familiar wave of bitterness came crashing into him once more, causing the boy to frown. Why did he feel this way whenever he came within a few yards of the boy?

As if sensing his presence, Leon glanced up and flinched when he saw Asbel in the window.

Asbel knocked on the glass and waved, motioning for him to open the window.

A frown immediately came over Leon's face before he walked over and flung open the windows, successfully smacking Asbel in the face.

"Gah!" Asbel cried as he fell off Hubert's back and into the bushes.

"Asbel!" Hubert cried in alarm before rushing over to his brother's side. "Are you all right?"

Asbel groaned in pain before glaring daggers at Leon, who was staring at him indifferently from the window.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Asbel shouted, as he pushed himself back to his feet.

Leon narrowed his eyes. "Why are you acting so surprised? This is only natural after all."

"Natural?" Hubert wondered aloud as he tilted his head to the side in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Leon stared at them with a hardened expression before a mildly shocked look crossed over his face. "You mean…you don't…"

The black-haired boy's face immediately reverted back to a frown. "What do you want?"

"We're asking the questions here!" Asbel shot back as Leon turned towards the door.

"I'm calling security."

"Asbel! You're just making him angry." Hubert scolded as Asbel let out a frustrated grunt.

Why was this kid so difficult to deal with? And what did he mean by "natural"? Was it natural to hate someone upon first meeting them?

So many questions whirled through Asbel's head as he struggled to comprehend what was this kid's problem. Whatever the case, the boy obviously knew much more than he was telling them. However, getting angry over it wouldn't help him answer any of his questions.

Taking a deep breath, Asbel as calmly as he could said, "Wait, just hear us out first."

To his surprise, Leon paused and waited for him to continue.

"This is your first time in Luin, right?" Asbel asked, deciding to put the questions about their feelings behind him for the time being. "We'll show you around, it'll be fun!"

"…"

"Come on! It'll be a lot more fun than sitting here in the dark reading some old book." Asbel said.

"…"

Hubert looked at the boy curiously. "You don't talk very much, do you?"

Leon's eyes narrowed while he balled his hands into small fists.

"Go away, just leave me alone."

His statement was the last thing that Asbel expected. Here he was trying to be nice to the kid and he shoots him down!

Sensing his brother's rising annoyance, Hubert quickly tried to do his best to quell the tension in the air.

"Maybe we should just leave him alone." Hubert said as Asbel gritted his teeth in frustration.

"What are you guys doing?"

Asbel and Hubert looked over to see Cheria walk over to them, looking at them curiously.

"Asbel is trying to get someone to come out and play with us. But I don't think he's doing a great job." Hubert explained, causing the redheaded boy to shoot him an annoyed glare.

"Who?" Cheria asked, walking over to where the boys stood.

"That jerk over there!" Asbel said, pointing at Leon. "I offered to show him around since he's never been to the area. But he won't budge."

Cheria let out an exasperated sigh. "Maybe he doesn't want to hang out with you because you're so immature!"

As Asbel and Cheria went back and forth with their argument, Leon grunted in annoyance before walking out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

"Man! What is that guy's deal?!" Asbel growled while he, Hubert and Cheria walked down the road into town.

After Leon's rather abrupt exit, Cheria offered a walk around town to calm Asbel down.

Hubert had agreed since he figured it would be best to get his brother away from the estate to cool down and keep him from causing another ruckus. However, it didn't stop the boy from grumbling under his breath about the whole thing.

"Asbel, maybe if you were more polite to him, he would take what you said seriously." Cheria offered, trying to be optimistic.

Asbel huffed in response. "I tried being nice but that kid makes it impossible!"

Both Cheria and Hubert simultaneously let out exasperated sighs. What really was impossible was trying to calm an already fuming Asbel.

* * *

As the three walked around town, Cheria suddenly let out a small gasp.

"Hey, isn't that the guy you bumped into a few days back?"

Asbel and Hubert glanced over to where Cheria was pointing and was surprised to see a semi-familiar figure standing by a fountain. He wore the same outfit that they had seen him in on their way to school and that single strand of hair still stuck up.

The tanned young man was gazing intently at the fountain in front of him, his red eyes narrowed as if remembering something unpleasant.

In Luin, there were three great fountains scattered all over town that represented, hope, protection and rebirth. One of them happened to be placed in Asbel and Hubert's front yard.

"Hey!" Asbel called out to him, causing Hubert and Cheria to flinch.

"Asbel, what are you doing?!" Cheria said anxiously.

Upon hearing them, the young man looked over before an annoyed expression came over his face.

"I-It doesn't look like he's too happy to see us…" Hubert stammered as he fidgeted nervously.

As if he didn't hear him, Asbel rushed over to the blonde-haired male. Though he was a bit rude upon their first meeting, the redheaded boy saw this as an opportunity to try and make friends with him to show that he could be mature about these things.

"Watcha doing? Is this your first time in Luin? Where are you from? What's your name? Why does that hair on your head stick up?" Asbel asked, slamming the stranger with a barrage of questions.

The young man looked at him blankly as Cheria and Hubert nervously watched.

"Asbel…" Cheria sighed as Hubert chuckled anxiously beside her.

"What? I'm just curious." Asbel said over his shoulder.

The young man remained silent as if studying the situation before an amused grin crossed over his face.

"Curious, huh?"

Asbel glanced back over at the blonde-haired male and nodded.

"What's your name, kid?" the blonde asked.

"My name is Asbel Lhant and those are my friends, Cheria and Hubert." Asbel introduced himself enthusiastically.

"Asbel, we really shouldn't be giving our names to strangers…" Hubert said quietly, though it was a little late to mention it now.

The young man smirked. "Well, Asbel Lhant, do you want to hear something cool?"

Asbel's eyes widened with excitement. "What is it?"

Leaning in close, the young man cupped his hand around his mouth and said, "There's actually a secret cavern underneath the town here."

"Whoa, really?!" Asbel said.

The stranger nodded. "That's why I came here, to go explore and see if the legend was true."

"Legend?"

The young man looked at him in surprise. "You've never heard of the legend of the Lake Sinoa Cave?"

Asbel shook his head and looked up at the blonde male in awe and curiosity. "Come on, tell me!"

"Alright," the young man chuckled dryly as he leaned back. "Legend has it that there is a chamber hidden within the depths of the cavern that has a bountiful amount of treasure stored there by this land's great ancestors. However, they say that there is a terrifying beast that guards the door to prevent trespassers. Of course, it's only a legend."

"A treasure chamber huh?" Asbel said thoughtfully while glancing up at the sky.

A wide, cheeky grin spread across his face before he pumped his fist into the air and brought it down quickly. "Now that is something I have to see!"

He quickly turned towards Hubert and Cheria, excitement evident all over his face.

"Guys, we have to go see this cave!"

"Heh," the blond smirked before walking away unnoticed.

Cheria frowned. "I don't know, who says we can even trust this guy? We don't even know him. And even if there is a cave, it's probably super dangerous."

"Oh yeah! Hey, you never gave us your name-"

When he glanced back over at where the young man was standing, he was surprised to see he was gone.

"Huh? Where'd he go?"

"See, even more suspicious!" Cheria said.

"Maybe he had some other business to attend to." Hubert said as Asbel scratched his head in confusion.

"Well, whatever," Asbel shrugged before his grin returned to his face. "In any case, we definitely have to check this out!"

He suddenly frowned before bringing up a hand thoughtfully to his chin. "But you know what would make it even more exciting?"

Hubert and Cheria glanced at each other uneasily, afraid of what Asbel had in mind. Whenever Asbel said anything about making something more exciting, that usually meant trouble for everyone.

"We should all sneak out and go explore the cave at night!" Asbel said more than enthusiastically. "It'll be like a test of bravery!"

The idea caused Hubert to pale, remembering the last time that Asbel had brought him out at night.

"That has got to be the most bone-headed idea I have ever heard! Un-believable!" Cheria said in annoyance.

"B-Besides, mom and dad were always really strict about us being out at night." Hubert added.

Asbel scoffed. "I bet you guys are just chicken. Besides, we're just exploring. It's not like I'm asking you guys to jump off a cliff."

"We might as well! What if there are wild animals living there or a bear or a wolf? We could all get eaten!" Cheria said, trying to talk some sense into the redhead.

Hubert looked as if he were about to pass out from the thought of possibly coming face-to-face with a wild beast. However, Asbel paid his brother no head, his excitement and curiosity too high to ignore.

"Aw, come on, it'll be fine. Besides, that guy went there and he's perfectly fine. And if anything does come up, I'll protect you guys. There's no need to worry."

The three fell silent into thought as Cheria and Hubert debated whether to go ahead with the crazy idea. If they got caught, there would be some serious consequences. However, they couldn't help but be a little curious about this cave underneath the dried lakebed.

"…I guess it couldn't hurt to take a peak." Cheria finally said.

Hubert didn't answer and fidgeted nervously before nodding in agreement.

A bright smile graced Asbel's lips as he gave them a thumbs up.

"That's the spirit! Nothing bad is going to happen, I guarantee it."

_"Can you really promise that?"_

Asbel flinched at the sound of the voice. It was the same voice he heard a few days ago after he heard about the legend of the Summon Spirits. He had only started hearing this strange, unfamiliar voice. Was it just his thoughts running wild?

He shook his head, shoving the voice to the back of his mind.

**xxxXX To be Continued XXxxx**

***Darilsheid**: The capitol of the country, Seinegald, which is located to the west of Tethe'alla

Author's note: This went through so many revisions, it's not even funny. Hope you're enjoying so far and I'm not boring you to tears. Please review! :D


	3. Chapter 3

Well, not sure if that many people are reading this or have taken a particular liking to it, but if you have, thank you so much for reading! If you're not really understanding what is going on, don't worry. Hopefully it will be cleared up later on.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

**Chapter 3**

After finding about the cave underneath the dry lakebed of the Sinoa Lake, Asbel was excited to go exploring it at night.

He had told Cheria and Hubert that it would be best to sneak out that night since his parents would be too busy attending to their guests.

It was only the afternoon so the three had decided to head back home to prepare for their night outing.

"It's perfect!" Asbel said with a grin.

"I still don't think this is such a good idea." Hubert said as he, Asbel and Cheria neared the entrance to the front yard of the Lhant estate.

Asbel let out a small groan of annoyance. "How many times do I have to tell you that nothing bad is going to happen?"

Cheria sighed loudly, obviously annoyed by Asbel's insistence, but nevertheless agreed to sneak out that night to go exploring.

When they came to the front yard, Asbel flinched at the overwhelming, yet familiar sensation hit him again.

He paused and looked over to see none other than Leon sitting on one of the benches beside the fountain to the right of the walkway, reading his book silently.

'Why…?' Asbel wondered to himself as he narrowed his eyes in confusion. 'Why do I keep getting that feeling whenever he's nearby?'

"Oh hey, isn't that Leon?" Hubert said, catching sight of the raven-haired boy.

Cheria looked over at him curiously, taking note of the way that he was sitting.

"Is it just me, or does he seem a little…sad?" Cheria wondered aloud.

"Huh? Well, we should go cheer him up then!" Asbel said, trying to shake off his insecurities.

Cheria then proceeded to ask him why he was so insistent on bugging the boy while Asbel argued that he just wanted to make him feel welcomed.

His statement was partly true as he didn't want Leon to be bored during his stay. However, his father's words still bothered him.

"I will say this only once, stay away from that boy."

"Maybe he could join us on our exploration later tonight." Asbel said.

"I don't think so," Hubert said. "Mr. Grants seems to be keen on making sure he's nearby."

Asbel frowned a little in disappointment before a cheerful grin replaced it.

"Well, in any case, let's go say hi."

Before anyone could stop him, Asbel rushed over to where the younger boy was sitting.

"He never listens…" Hubert sighed as Cheria let out a huff of frustration.

As Asbel neared the boy, he felt the sensation grow stronger, causing him to wince.

'What is this? Why does this keep happening?'

It was as if something inside him was fighting him, like two forces repelling each other.

Leon seemed to be sharing the same feelings as he visibly cringed when Asbel neared him.

He snapped his book closed and looked up at him through narrowed eyes.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone." Leon nearly growled.

Asbel let out an annoyed groan. "What's your deal? Did I say something to offend you?"

The raven-haired boy scoffed before looking away and across at the other adjacent fountain.

"These fountains," Leon started after a long pause.

Asbel looked at him puzzled. "Huh-?"

"These fountains used to be historic monuments but were eventually destroyed and rebuilt into how they look now." Leon explained, still keeping his gaze on the fountain across from him.

"Okay…what does that have to do with anything?" Asbel said, obviously lost at what Leon was getting at. "How do you even know? I mean, they look like ordinary fountains to me."

Leon remained silent for a moment before a deep frown spread across his face.

"Ignorance is not bliss, it is foolishness."

Asbel lifted an eyebrow. "You're not making any sense."

"It is because you are oblivious," Leon said as he glared up at the redheaded boy. "But that will ultimately be your downfall. Once the truth comes, you will only find pain in the end."

The boy's words only confused Asbel. However, the way he said them caused the older boy's feelings of bitterness to rise.

He obviously knew something he didn't and seemed intent on keeping it to himself, much to Asbel's frustration.

"Alright, enough word games. Tell me what you you're hiding!" Asbel demanded, frustration rising in his voice. "You've been spouting all this nonsense but you haven't given me a clear explanation of anything. You're obviously hiding something, so I want answers!"

Hubert and Cheria had decided to walk in on them at that moment and gasped at Asbel's tone.

Leon looked at him indifferently before letting out a sigh. "Answers, huh?"

A heavy silence hung in the air, grating on Asbel's nerves. As he opened his mouth to say something, Leon quickly cut him off.

"What I know is none of your business."

Out of impulse, Asbel shot forward and grabbed hold of Leon's shirt collar. He yanked him up to a standing position and glared down at the younger boy.

"What are you hiding?!" Asbel demanded.

"Asbel!" Cheria and Hubert cried in shock.

They quickly rushed over to him and tried to separate the two, but Asbel's grip did not loosen.

"Stop it, Asbel! Let him go!" Hubert pleaded but was ignored.

Asbel didn't know what he was doing. He had never spoken with such ferocity nor had he initiated such hostile contact like this. It was as if the strange sensation was threatening to consume him, taking control of his actions. As strange as it sounded, it felt as if he were acting on instinct.

Leon narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "You want answers? Try talking to the ones who have really been keeping you in the dark this whole time."

Asbel's eyes widened in surprise. "What…?"

Before he could finish, Leon swatted him on the side of his head. The sudden strike caught Asbel off guard as he, Hubert and Cheria all stumbled backwards stunned.

"Ack!" Asbel cried as he placed a hand over his left eye where he was hit.

The raven-haired boy glared over at him, his mouth a firm, straight line.

"Why you…!" Asbel growled.

"Asbel cut it out!" Cheria cried as she grabbed hold of Asbel's arm to prevent him from going after Leon again.

"You have such an easy life."

Asbel paused, his expression suddenly becoming curious as Leon went on.

"Living a life completely oblivious to the harsh world around you," Leon's gaze darkened. "You live without a care in the world. You have absolutely no understanding of what the real world is like. Everything is taken cared of for you."

Asbel felt the feeling of resentment grow even stronger and start to bubble up in his stomach, transforming it into full-blown anger. Who did this kid think he was? His life wasn't as easy as he made it out to be.

"What do you know?! You know absolutely nothing about my life and what I have to go through!"

At this, Leon narrowed his eyes dangerously. "What _you_ have to go through? This is exactly why I can't stand spoiled, rich kids like you."

His last comment caused Asbel's anger to suddenly flare as he wrenched his arm out of Cheria's grasp and lunged towards the boy. He could hear both Cheria and Hubert shouting at him to stop as he wound up his arm to prepare for a punch. Unfortunately, his willpower had finally snapped and let the feelings of bitterness and resentment take over.

However, his fist only met air when Leon quickly darted out of the way.

Before Asbel had a chance to redirect his attack, Leon dropped to the ground and swept one of his legs under Asbel's. With a gasp, Asbel fell to the ground and onto his back. The redheaded boy lay there stunned, unable to believe that he was taken down so easily by a boy younger than him.

"Hmph," Leon grunted while brushing his hair out of his face with a flick of his wrist. "You really are pathetic."

"Rahhhhhh!" Asbel cried as he jumped back onto his feet and charged once more at Leon.

Cheria suddenly started coughing uncontrollably, most likely due to the shock of seeing Asbel like this.

Hubert quickly rushed to side and placed a hand on her back to try and support her.

"We…*cough*cough*have to *cough* stop them…!" Cheria managed before turning to face the blue-haired boy. "Hubert…you have to *cough* go get someone *cough* hurry…!"

"But you-"

"Go! I'll be fine! *cough*cough*cough* Worry more about your brother!" Cheria cried.

Hubert glanced from Cheria to the fight before them uncertainly. Finally, he nodded in understanding and hurried towards the mansion to find someone to break the two boys up.

With precision and skill, Leon deflected Asbel's attacks by simply pushing them to the side in a self-defensive maneuver. No matter what he did, Leon would simply brush off every one of his attacks as if it were nothing, causing Asbel's frustration to rise.

"Damn it!" Asbel cursed.

Leon dodged his attack once more and lunged towards him. He took hold of one of his arms and pulled him to his back before flipping him over onto the ground. By using Asbel's weight against him, Leon had successfully thrown the boy a good distance across the grass.

"Asbel!" Cheria cried but couldn't do anything as she went into another coughing fit.

'What's wrong with me…?' Asbel contemplated as his vision started to blur. 'I have to snap out of it…I have to…"

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Leon closed his eyes while he rubbed his temples. "You really are irritating. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you never learn-"

Before he could finish, Asbel's fist suddenly collided with his cheek, sending the boy crashing to the ground.

Cheria covered her mouth in horror, her eyes wide with shock.

Leon lay on the ground stunned for a moment before sitting up and gingerly bringing a hand to his swollen cheek. He winced slightly before glaring over at the redheaded boy.

Asbel's bangs hung low over his face, his expression unreadable. To Leon's surprise, his stance looked much more confidant than it had before.

After a moment, Leon seemed to understand. He gritted his teeth while hissing in annoyance.

"I see…so that's how you want it."

He got to his feet but stayed in a crouching position.

"Fine by me." Leon growled, glaring intently at the redhead.

However, before he could do anything, someone rushed over and grabbed hold of Leon's arm and yanked it backwards.

"Gah!" Leon cried before widening his eyes in shock.

"That's enough, Leon!" Van commanded.

Leon guiltily looked over to the side as Aston, Hubert and Frederick rushed to the scene.

"Cheria!" Frederick cried, quickly rushing to his granddaughter's side as Aston and Hubert hurried over to Asbel.

When Aston reached the boy, he suddenly slapped Asbel across the left side of his face.

Asbel let out a cry of shock as he stumbled backwards. His eyes were wide in shock as he brought his hand to his face where he struck.

"Wha-?!"

"Just what do you think you are doing?!" Aston demanded as Asbel glared up at him, gritting his teeth in defiantly.

Coughing was heard from behind, causing Asbel to tear his gaze away from his father and whirled around to see Frederick patting Cheria on the back. Her coughing was becoming more severe with each passing second, causing Asbel's eyes to widen in shock.

Why hadn't he realized that Cheria was suffering? Usually he'd be the first one to notice if she was close to coughing up a lung or something.

"Cheria…I…" Asbel said as Frederick turned to look over at Aston.

"Sir," Frederick said. "I'm going to take Cheria home to rest, if that is all right."

Aston nodded. "Of course."

With a grateful nod, Frederick quickly escorted the coughing Cheria back to the house.

Aston let out a sigh before turning to Hubert. "Thank you for informing me about this, Hubert."

Hubert nodded slowly before looking over at his brother.

It was obvious that he was worried whether Asbel felt betrayed about him telling his dad about the fight.

Asbel gave him a reassuring smile, letting him know that he didn't blame him for what happened.

If it wasn't for Hubert getting the adults, he didn't know what would have happened. Asbel felt as if his body was moving on its own accord and that the strange wave of bitter feelings had taken over his entire being. His judgment had become clouded and had lost all reason, completely blinding him to everything that was going on around him, even to Cheria's painful coughs.

"This is only natural after all."

Asbel's widened his eyes in shock upon remembering Leon's words from earlier.

'Is this what he was talking about…?'

He looked down at his hand and slowly clenched and unclenched it. At the moment he seemed to be in control. However, he feared what would happen if he allowed those feelings to take over again.

Hesitantly, he glanced over at where Van and Leon were standing.

The man was currently having a talk with Leon as the boy nodded solemnly. He let go of Leon's arm, which dropped down to his side as if a puppet's strings were cut.

Asbel heard his dad suddenly take a sharp inhale of breath. He glanced over at his father to see him staring intently at Leon, much to his confusion. To his surprise, Aston wasn't looking at Leon but more specifically at the ground below the boy.

It was strange that his father would react in such a way, especially towards something not obvious. Did he see something that Asbel didn't?

Before he could question it, Aston walked over to them.

"Please, accept my most humble apologies for my son's actions," Aston said bowing in apology. "I will accept any punishment on his behalf."

"What-?!" Asbel quickly closed his mouth. Though he didn't feel the sensation at the moment, he feared that it might rage out of control again if he wasn't careful.

However, it didn't change the fact that it frustrated him that his parents always made everything out to be his fault.

Van shook his head. "I must also apologize for what transpired as Leon obviously had a part in this as well. I expect that this whole ordeal can be overlooked."

"Yes of course. Thank you, Mr. Grants. I will make sure that this will never happen again." Aston said.

"There he goes…putting on his groveling act." Asbel muttered under his breath.

Van gently nudged Leon forward as the boy bowed his head. "I apologize for my actions. I let my emotions get the better of myself."

Despite the polite bow, Asbel could tell that he really didn't mean it. He sounded almost robotic, not at all genuine. It was all too obvious that he only apologized because Van told him to.

"Asbel."

The redheaded boy glanced up to see his dad looking at him intently. "You should apologize as well."

Frowning, Asbel reluctantly walked over and glared at Leon through narrowed eyes, which were reciprocated. He could feel the bitterness start to rise again, but quickly fought it down. He wouldn't allow it come up so easily now after what happened.

Taking a deep breath, Asbel muttered a halfhearted apology for initiating the fight.

Leon only huffed in acknowledgement, aware of the bitterness in Asbel's tone and said no more.

"Please excuse us." Van said before walking back towards the mansion with Leon trailing after him.

"Hubert," Aston said, causing the boy to flinch.

"Yes, dad?" Hubert said in a timid voice.

"Go back into the house. I have to speak with your brother privately."

Hubert slowly nodded before looking over at Asbel worriedly. Hesitantly, he headed back to the house.

Once he was out of earshot, Aston turned back towards Asbel and narrowed his gaze.

"What were you thinking getting into a fight like that, especially against the adopted son of the spokesman of World Corp? Our business partnership could be put into jeopardy because of your reckless act." Aston scolded.

"That's not fair!" Asbel shot back. "I just wanted to-"

"I will hear no more of your excuses. It's time you learn to take responsibility for your actions," Aston said. "You're grounded. You are confined to your room until further notice."

* * *

A long sigh escaped from Asbel's mouth as he bounced a ball off the wall, catching it after ricocheting back at him. He had been basically banished to his room for a whole month, only to be able to come out during meal times. This would prove troublesome if he hoped to sneak out at night without his dad becoming suspicious.

His eyes narrowed at the thought of his dad. No matter what he did, he always ended up doing something wrong in his dad's eyes. There was no pleasing the man, not that he felt the need to. It was times like these that he wished he could just get away from it all.

However, he knew he had to go and apologize to Cheria later considering it was because of him that she was in her current condition. The thought of her coughing and him just ignoring it caused Asbel to unconsciously ball his hands into fists. It scared him to think that she could have been in great pain without him even knowing.

He held up his hand again and stared at it. How could he have been so careless?

Someone knocking on the door snapped Asbel out of his thoughts.

To Asbel's surprise it was the man representing World Corp, Van Grants who stepped in.

"M-Mr. Grants!" Asbel said, immediately sitting up in bed.

The man couldn't help but chuckle before closing the door behind him. "There's no need to be so formal. Van works just fine."

Asbel looked at him in surprise before frowning. "I doubt my dad would let me though considering how important you are."

Van gave the boy a concerned look before coming over and sitting on the edge of the bed beside him.

"Are you here to scold me about getting into a fight with Leon too and that it was all my fault?" Asbel said bitterly, turning his attention to the carpet floor.

With a gentle smile, the man shook his head. "No, I just wanted to see how you were doing."

When he didn't get a response from the boy, he let out a sigh. "I also want to apologize on behalf of Leon's actions. If I were keeping a closer eye on him, this would have never happened. Don't worry, I gave him a long talk to about what happened."

Asbel hesitantly looked up at the man in surprise. "Huh…?"

"That boy is definitely a handful at times," Van chuckled. "Unfortunately, I suppose I am partly to blame. Because I'm traveling so much, Leon has had little to no interaction with kids his own age."

Does that mean he doesn't have any friends? Asbel wondered, as he suddenly felt a little bad about the whole thing. Though it still didn't excuse the way that Leon talked to him.

"He's lucky though," Asbel said. "He gets to travel all over the world and see different things. While I'm stuck here living the same thing over and over again."

A thoughtful expression came over Van's face as Asbel threw his ball at the wall again, letting it bounce off and catching it again.

"Would you really want to leave and travel? You seem to have a nice life here with your friends and family." Van said in interest as Asbel scoffed.

"Truthfully…I don't really know what my mom and dad think of me and whether they really care about me," Asbel said before his expression turned downcast. "Sometimes I think that they only want me around so that they have someone to pass the company to."

It hurt to think that his parents only tolerated him just to have an heir for the company. All they did was scold him or tell him to behave. Asbel couldn't even remember the last time that either one of his parents told him that they loved him.

"I see," Van let out a deep sigh. "So it is the same for you as well."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Asbel asked curiously.

"It is not uncommon for corporate heads to pass their work down to their heirs just to continue the family business. This way, they will be able to keep their power over their companies even after retirement." Van explained.

"What…?!" Asbel said in alarm as he jumped off the bed and looked at Van in disbelief. "A-Are you saying that my dad just wants to use me so he can stay in power?"

"I wouldn't be surprised. My own father tried to pull the same thing over on me," Van said.

Asbel took a few steps back in shock before looking down at the floor, his eyes narrowed.

"No…no…that's…they can't do this!" Asbel shouted while shaking his head furiously.

All this time, all his parents were just planning on using him for power? Was he nothing to them but a pawn?

Despite the pain, he somehow felt that deep down that it was probably true. They were always so strict with him and hardly ever complimented anything that he did. It was as if they were trying to mold him into the perfect corporate head, not even caring that he may want to take a different path in life.

"I don't want any part in that! I…I…"

Van reached over and gently placed a hand on Asbel's shoulder, offering him a sympathetic smile.

"Not all hope should be lost. I was able to break away from that fate, forging my own path and eventually becoming the representative of World Corp. You can do the same if you take it upon yourself to change your fate."

"Change my fate…" Asbel repeated, drinking in the man's words.

Could he really break free from the future that his parents laid out for him?

Van dug through his pocket and took out a card, before holding it out to Asbel.

Asbel took the card and realized it was Van's business card with his contact information on it.

"If you ever wish to leave home to forge your own path in life, allow me to help you."

Asbel's face immediately lit up. The possibility of traveling around the world never felt so close. With Van's help, Asbel was sure that he would definitely be able his change his future.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Van!" Asbel said.

The man chuckled before patting the boy on the head. "There's no need to thank me. Have confidence in yourself that you can surely change any outcome. Your fate is not sealed, but it is up to you to make a difference."

With that, Van got off the bed and headed for the door.

"I hope to see you sometime in the near future." Van said before excusing himself out of the room.

Once he closed the door behind him, Asbel gazed down at the business card with a shining look in his eyes. The business card he held in his hands was like a ticket to freedom.

Van was a lot nicer than Asbel would have expected. He had thought that all businessmen were like his dad, overly serious and only cared about their businesses. However, with Van, it seemed as if he cared more about people than money, which Asbel respected.

He quickly went over to his desk and tucked it safely into the top drawer. Though his desk was less than orderly, he was sure that as long as he didn't put anything else in the drawer, the card would be safe. Or so he hoped.

The redheaded boy had become so excited about his possible adventure that he forgot about the cavern underneath Lake Sinoa.

**xxxXX To be Continued XXxxx**

Author's note: Well, this was certainly an interesting chapter to make. Don't Leon and Asbel make the best of friends? XD I feel like this chapter can definitely use some improvement. If you have any suggestions on how to make it better, please feel free to tell me! Well, hope you all enjoyed. Please leave a review!


	4. Chapter 4

This took a very long time to make due to school and writer's block. I'm still not 100% satisfied with this chapter, but maybe it's because not much really happens. Oh well, hope you enjoy it nevertheless. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

**Chapter 4  
**

The door to Asbel's room suddenly opened, causing Asbel to flinch and quickly close the drawer he put the business card in.

He whirled around and was surprised to see Hubert carefully close the door behind him with a grim expression.

Asbel lifted and eyebrow curiously. "Is everything all right, Hubert?"

Hubert flinched as if he didn't know that Asbel was in the room.

"A-Ah, yeah, of course. W-Why do you ask?"

"You're acting kinda funny. Did something happen?" Asbel asked.

The blue-haired boy was silent for a moment before glancing over at Asbel uneasily. "I…"

He paused before looking at the floor again. "…Is it true that you're going to leave?"

Asbel widened his eyes in shock as Hubert kept his gaze locked to the carpeted floor.

"I heard you talking to Mr. Grants about possibly leaving home to go travel…I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but…"

It was obvious that Hubert was worried about being left alone. He never liked being left on his own, which caused a small smile to form on Asbel's face.

The redhead let out a small sigh before walking over to Hubert and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't you worry, Hubert. I'm not going anywhere without you. Besides, I doubt he meant that I should leave home tomorrow. It might be years before I head over to Tethe'alla to start a new life."

Hubert looked down with a worried frown. It was obvious he wasn't convinced about the whole thing.

"Hey, why don't we pay Cheria a visit tomorrow to see how she's doing?" Asbel said, trying to change the subject.

"Aren't you confined to your room, Asbel?" Hubert asked.

The redhead stared at him blankly for a moment as if registering what he had just said.

"Damn it!" Asbel cursed, causing his brother to flinch from his sudden outburst.

He had been so excited by the fact that he could get to travel with the help of Van that he had forgotten that he wasn't able to leave the house, or his room for that matter.

Asbel let out a groan of defeat before sitting on his bed with a plop.

"Man, this sucks…" Asbel complained. "How am I supposed to apologize to her if I'm stuck here and she's stuck in bed?"

"I could tell her for you if you want." Hubert offered as Asbel shook his head.

"Nah, that's all right. I'd like to tell her myself, but thanks though." Asbel said as he flopped down onto his mattress.

He placed the back of his hand over his eyes and stared at the ceiling between his fingers.

"This is going to be a long punishment…"

* * *

The next day, Asbel was shocked to hear that Van was leaving that morning.

"It's only been a day!" Asbel said in shock. "Usually dad's business meeting goes for like three days at least!"

Hubert shrugged. "I don't understand either. But Frederick said that dad rejected Mr. Grant's offer so they don't have any more reason to stay here."

Asbel stared at him in disbelief. "Dad…rejected his offer?"

It didn't make sense. When Aston first brought up the topic, he was intent on making a good impression and wanting the two corporations to work out an agreement. Wasn't this supposed to help quell the animosity between Sylvarant and Tethe'alla?

Asbel gritted his teeth in frustration before bolting out the door.

"Wait! Asbel!" Hubert called out in vain.

Asbel didn't care if he was grounded. He had to hear for himself what his dad's reasons were for not going through with the collaboration between the two companies.

When he reached the front yard, he found Van and Aston talking near the entrance with a car parked out in front.

'So it's true…' Asbel said as he curled his fists into tight balls.

There were so many things he had wanted to ask the man before he left. Van was the only adult to have treated him seriously and gave him a chance to do what he wanted.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out, Mr. Lhant," Van said in dismay. "I hope you would at least give my offer some thought."

"That won't be necessary. I hope you have a safe trip back." Aston said steely.

"Van!"

Aston and Van glanced over in surprise as Asbel rushed over to them.

"Asbel, have you forgotten-"

Asbel ignored him despite knowing that it would probably come back to bite him later considering he was already grounded. He walked right past his father and over to Van.

"Do you really have to go?" Asbel asked as he bowed his head in disappointment.

Van bent down on one knee so they could see eye-to-eye and patted the boy on the head.

"Unfortunately, yes. I had wished to stay longer and talk things over about how the companies could benefit each other, but it seems as if our ideals are too different."

Asbel remained silent as Van gave him a small smile.

"You still have that card I gave you, right?" Van whispered as Asbel nodded. "Then we'll see each other again and talk all you want."

"Mr. Grants."

Van glanced up to see Aston staring intently at him. The younger man let out a sigh before turning back to Asbel, offering him a small smile. "It was nice meeting you, Asbel."

After Asbel nodded sadly, he narrowed his eyes upon feeling the familiar feeling of a certain raven-haired boy nearby.

Leon walked over while rolling a small suitcase behind him. He had two escorts on both sides of him, as if placed there to prevent the two boys from fighting again.

The smaller boy's eyes flicked over to Asbel for a moment before he walked past him without a word.

Asbel lifted an eyebrow in surprise, usually expecting a glare or a retort of some kind from the younger boy.

One of the escorts helped him load his bag into the trunk of the car while the other opened up the car door for both Van and Leon to get in.

The car slowly pulled away as Asbel watched until it drove out of sight.

He couldn't understand it. Why hadn't his dad accepted Van's offer? Van had been nothing but understanding even when he and Leon got into a fight.

Whatever the reason, Asbel figured that his dad was just too thickheaded to work with Van's ideas.

It was also a possibility that he might have heard his talk with the man and is trying to prevent him from taking away his chance to use him. The thought made Asbel's anger boil but was careful not to let his face show it. He had to keep this as secretive as possible or else his dream to travel would end up in ruin.

"Asbel-"

"I know! Back to my room." Asbel growled as he marched back into the house.

He had enough of his dad always butting in with his life. Just when he finds something that he likes, his dad always takes it away from him claiming that it's for his own good.

Asbel stomped back up the stairs up to his room and slammed the door behind him.

Hubert flinched upon his brother's return before he let out a sigh.

"Is everything all right?"

Asbel remained silent as he slumped down onto the floor in front of the door.

"Asbel?" Hubert called cautiously.

A thought suddenly struck Asbel. From all the excitement he had forgotten about the talk about the cavern underneath the lake.

"Hey, do you remember about the Lake Sinoa Cave?"

Hubert looked over at Asbel in surprise but nodded. "You mean what that guy said yesterday? What about it?"

He paused before a look of bewilderment came over his face.

"Wait…you're not thinking of still going are you?"

"Of course! You think I'm just gonna sit here and do nothing for who knows how long?"

Hubert couldn't help but sigh. "You just can't sit still, can you?"

"Heh, besides I want to see for myself if that rumor about treasure being down there is true. Once Cheria is feeling better, we'll all go check it out."

A mischievous grin spread across Asbel's face as he stood up and looked out the window, ignoring his brother's horrified expression.

There was no way that his dad was going to get in the way of his adventures, especially not with stupid groundings.

* * *

"He still wants to go to that cavern?!" Cheria said.

Hubert nodded and let out an exasperated sigh. He had gone over to Cheria's house to check on how she was doing, leaving Asbel alone with boredom as his only companion back in their room.

Thankfully, Cheria was doing better and just had a minor coughing attack, possibly from the shock of seeing Asbel like that.

"Unbelievable…" Cheria huffed. "Is he asking to get into bigger trouble?"

"You know Asbel, once he sets his mind to something there's no way to stop him." Hubert shrugged.

Cheria let out a small sigh. "Figures. How does he expect to sneak out anyways? I would suspect that Mr. Aston is keeping a close eye on him."

"I don't really know. But knowing Asbel, he'll find a way."

The pink-haired girl couldn't help but giggle. She had known the two Lhant boys all her life growing up and knew that Asbel did indeed have a way of making things happen whether it was a good idea or not. His ideas often got the three of them into a lot of trouble. However, Cheria never really cared and was always just happy to spend time with them.

Since she was born with an illness that constantly tugs at her health, everyone had pitied her. Though she was well enough to go to school, people still treated her differently as if she was a flimsy little flower that would break from the slightest breeze. Despite that, the Lhants had treated her like a regular person and were always willing to help when she needed them. They were like family to her and were always willing to go wherever they went.

"I have to admit though that the cavern does sound exciting. What if we do find treasure down there?" Cheria wondered.

"Anyways, are you doing all right?" Hubert asked in concern. "That was a pretty bad attack."

Cheria nodded. "Yeah, I guess I was just so shocked that my body didn't like it. I'll be back up in a few days."

* * *

A couple days had gone by since Van and Leon had left and Asbel was completely bored out of his mind.

His dad had still not lifted his grounding, much to the boy's frustration. Did he really expect him to just sit around his room doing nothing for the rest of his life?

Despite his annoyance, Asbel's heart was racing with excitement. Tonight was the night he, Hubert and Cheria were all sneaking out to explore the Lake Sinoa Cave.

Cheria had informed him through Hubert that she was feeling better and the boy jumped at the chance to explore the cavern.

He walked over to his messy desk and opened up one of the drawers that he stashed Van's business card. However, when he looked inside, the card was gone.

"W-What…?!" Asbel gasped in shock.

The boy frantically rummaged through the drawer, shoving all the clutter around in search of the small piece of paper.

'No…it's got to be here!' Asbel thought anxiously.

There was no way that he could have lost something so important. He would look at it every night, giving him hope of a bright future and away from his dad's company.

As he desperately searched the premise for the card, Hubert glanced over from his own desk with a curious look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

Asbel paused before he glanced over at the blue-haired boy. He suddenly frowned, causing Hubert to flinch.

"W-What is it?"

Ignoring the question, Asbel rushed over to him and started stretching out his cheeks.

"Ow! What are you doing?! That really hurts!" Hubert cried as he struggled against Asbel's grip.

"The business card that Van gave me is gone and you're the only one who knows about me leaving. So you must have stolen it to make sure I won't!" Asbel growled.

Before Hubert could respond back, the door to their bedroom opened and Cheria walked in.

"Asbel cut that out! What's wrong with you, you're hurting him!" Cheria cried while rushing over and pulled Hubert from Asbel's grasp.

"Well I think it's fitting for a thief!" Asbel shot back. "He stole my business card!"

"Business card?" Cheria asked curiously.

Hubert sniffed slightly as he rubbed his sore cheeks. "Van gave him his business card."

Cheria looked over at Asbel in surprise. For someone who didn't like corporations, she wondered why Asbel would have something like a business card.

"Why did he give you a business card?"

Asbel was hesitant upon answering and looked away. He wasn't sure if Cheria would like the answer. However, he knew that he wouldn't be able to get away without telling her from the way she was looking at him.

Heaving a sigh, Asbel scratched the back of his head in frustration. "Alright, promise me you won't tell anyone."

Cheria nodded. "I promise."

"Van said he'd help with my dream to travel the world so I won't have to take over my dad's business."

A gasp escaped from Cheria's mouth as she covered it with her hands. "Y-You're leaving?"

"When I get older of course," Asbel said as he narrowed his eyes. "I'm never going to succeed my father, no matter what he thinks."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Hubert glanced uneasily over at Cheria, wondering what was going through her head. Her expression gave away nothing.

After a long moment, a small frown crossed over Cheria's face and she looked away.

"I-I see…"

"If you want, you can come live with me once we're all grown up." Asbel said with a boyish grin.

Cheria's eyes immediately lit up as a rosy blush graced her cheeks.

"Yes, that would be wonderful!"

"W-What about me?" Hubert asked with a hint of sadness.

"Of course! We can all live together!" Asbel said excitedly.

The thought of all of them living together made Asbel more excited about the future. Everything was set and Asbel couldn't be happier. To be able to travel the world and then to be able to live together with his best friends had to be the best thing that could happen to him.

He couldn't wait to be an adult already.

* * *

"A-Are you sure this is safe?" Hubert asked as he watched his brother weave several shirts together to make a rope.

"Of course! I've seen people on TV do this all the time so don't worry." Asbel reassured.

Hubert stared at his brother incredulously and let out an exasperated sigh. He had to wonder if these shows were what gave Asbel his crazy ideas of adventure.

"Alright," Asbel said as he tightened the last knot. He went over to the window and dangled the long rope of clothes down the side of the wall until it was close to the ground. After he wound the other end firmly to one of the legs of his desk, he turned to Hubert and grinned.

"You go first."

"W-What?!" Hubert cried in shock. "W-Why me?!"

"Come on, it'll be fine. As long as you hold onto the rope you won't fall." Asbel said.

Hubert gulped nervously. "W-What if mom or dad comes in to check on us?"

"This is why I'll do this," Asbel pulled out a pile of laundry and shoved them underneath the bed sheets. "See? Perfect!"

"I still don't understand why I have to go first." Hubert frowned.

"Hurry up or else mom and dad will catch us." Asbel said, pushing a reluctant Hubert towards the window.

'He always makes me the guinea pig…' Hubert said to himself as he hesitantly climbed up onto the windowsill.

The blue-haired boy quickly peeked down at how far up he was. Though they were only up two stories, Hubert couldn't help but get dizzy from the height. He looked back over at his brother who merely motioned for him to continue.

Reluctantly, Hubert swung his legs over the edge and tightly gripped the clothes rope. He shut his eyes closed as he slowly slid down. His eyes watered up from the fear of falling as he inched his way down along the wall.

"Hubert, you have to go faster or else we're going to be here all night!" Asbel said in a loud whisper.

"I'm trying!" Hubert shot back in a harsh whisper.

Despite his trembling, he forced himself to slide down the clothes rope faster. In his haste, Hubert's grip suddenly slipped. The blue-haired boy let out a silent cry from the shock as he fell a few feet before quickly latching onto the rope once more. However, the momentum caused him to swing from side to side, every so often causing him to hit the hard wall of the house.

Asbel let out a sigh of relief. It would surely be a bad day if Hubert fell and broke a bone.

Finally, Hubert's feet hit the ground and the boy immediately fell to his knees.

"You okay?" Asbel called down as quietly as he could.

Hubert merely waved, a sign that Asbel can guess that he was physically okay.

Seeing as Hubert made it down without too much difficulty (and drama), Asbel went over to the side of his bed and picked up his wooden sword for defense and attached it to his belt before he headed over to the window.

Unlike Hubert, Asbel was able to slide down the rope with ease and landed on the ground in mere moments.

"Phew, I knew it was going to be cold tonight, but I didn't think it'd be this chilly." Asbel said as he rubbed his hands together.

He glanced over to the side to see his brother still on the ground trembling.

"You're fine Hubert, come on." Asbel said, pulling his brother off the ground and dragged him off towards the front gate.

"How are we going to get out? If we open the front gates, someone is going to hear us." Hubert said.

Asbel grinned. "That's where you're wrong, little brother."

"We're not going to climb over it are we?" Hubert asked, his eyes widening in horror. He was never good at climbing and was afraid of repeating what happened with the clothes rope.

"Don't worry." Asbel said, though it hardly convinced the blue-haired boy.

* * *

"Here we go." Asbel said, revealing a hole in the wall just enough for them to squeeze through.

It was blocked from view by a tree so no one would notice. However, Asbel had found it by accident while playing in the front yard one day. One of the construction workers must have accidentally cracked it when modeling the walls and never repaired it. He never thought it would turn out to be this useful when he first stumbled upon the hole.

"Asbel, Hubert, are you guys there?"

"Ah, good you're here, Cheria." Asbel said as he squeezed through the tight hole.

Hubert followed soon after and the three were finally able to commence their little adventure.

The three made their way over to the outskirts of town and down the path that led down to the dry lakebed. They had to stop every once in a while to let Cheria rest, but eventually just had Asbel piggyback her down because the boy couldn't sit still. He was far too excited to let anything ruin this adventure. If they were lucky, they might just actually find the treasure the blonde-haired stranger told them about.

"Alright, the cavern is supposed to be somewhere around here," Asbel said as he shone the flashlight he had brought around their surroundings. "Ah!"

He rushed forward and after a little examining, a large smile crossed over his face. "Hey, guys! Come over here, I think I found the entrance!"

Cheria and Hubert walked over as Asbel shined the flashlight over the large gaping hole in the dry lakebed's walls.

"Whoa…" Hubert said in awe.

"This is it. Come on, let's go!" Asbel said, leading the way into the cave.

Hubert and Cheria glanced at each other uneasily. They seemed to be having second thoughts about entering the cave. However, they couldn't say anything to deter the excited redhead's attention, so they reluctantly went in after him.

Upon entering the cave, they saw giant clusters of crystals lining the walls every so often, which gave off a soft glow to contrast the vast darkness of the cave.

"They're so pretty…" Cheria said as she bent down to touch one of the glowing crystals.

"What are these things? And why are they glowing?" Asbel asked, coming over to observe one of the giant clusters of crystal.

"They must be light crystals, which contain fragments of light attributed mana within them. Which is why they can glow like that." Hubert explained.

"Hah! I knew Hubert would know!" Asbel said with a proud grin.

Hubert looked to the side, a bit of sadness reflecting in his blue eyes. "You know…you should really pay attention to these things, Asbel. I…I won't always be around to explain things to you…"

"Hey, do we have anything to chip a piece off of this?" Cheria piped up, having not heard the brothers' conversation.

"Huh, why?" Asbel asked as he turned to look at the pink-haired girl.

"Asbel…"

"Maybe I want a souvenir to remember this adventure by!" Cheria shot-back.

Hubert let out a frustrated sigh as the two redheads started bickering once again.

"Sorry Hubert. Could you say that again?" Asbel asked.

"…Nevermind." Hubert said.

* * *

As the three continued their way through the cave, an involuntary shiver ran down Hubert's spine.

"See? What'd I tell you, it isn't so bad in here," Asbel said as excitement sparkled in his eyes. "I wonder if we're getting close to the treasure."

Even with the light crystals lighting the way down the tunnel, the cavern was still extremely dark and gave off a menacing vibe. It was if the walls were swallowing them whole.

"Um…Asbel…I'm getting a really bad feeling about this." Hubert whimpered as he looked around nervously.

"Aw, don't be such a chicken, Hubert," Asbel chuckled before freezing in place.

Cheria and Hubert accidentally bumped into each other upon Asbel's sudden stop, causing the two to yelp in surprise simultaneously.

"Hey, what in the world are you doing, Asbel?!" Cheria demanded.

She felt his shoulders start to tremble, causing nervous anxiety to build up within the pink-haired girl.

"A-Asbel…?"

"There's…something there…" Asbel stammered fearfully as Hubert started trembling while shaking his head frantically.

"That's not funny, Asbel! There is nothing-"

"It's…RIGHT BEHIND YOU!" Asbel cried as both Cheria and Hubert turned around to see an intimidating form.

The two children let out terrified shouts as Hubert fell to the ground from the shock.

Asbel burst into a fit of laughter as both Hubert and Cheria glanced at him in confusion.

"Haha! Psyche!" Asbel cackled as he held his flashlight up to the shadowed form, revealing it to be just an ordinary rock formation. "There's no such thing as monsters!"

Cheria glared at him while putting her hands on her hips. "Cut it out, Asbel! Unbelievable! You're such a jerk! Hubert, are you okay? Ah-"

Hubert whimpered as he looked down at his now very damp pants.

"Did you just wet your pants?" Asbel said in surprise as Cheria helped the blue-haired boy back to his feet.

"No thanks to you! You better apologize right now!" Cheria screeched indignantly.

Asbel let out a groan while running a hand through his messy hair. "Yeah, yeah…"

"I…think we should head back…" Hubert stammered, his body still trembling from the sudden adrenaline rush.

"There's nothing here but us and maybe a few small animals. What is there to be worried about? If there _was _something here, people would have blocked the entrance or told us not to come here. Besides, I have my trusty sword here in case a wolf or whatever does show up and I still want to see what else is in this cave." Asbel said as he continued walking further inwards.

"Hey, wait for us!" Cheria called before rushing after him.

Hubert glanced uneasily from Asbel to the way back out of the eerie cave. A shadow suddenly passed by, causing Hubert to flinch. His eyes darted back and forth, trying to see what the shadow was. However, after a moment of silence, the boy decided that his eyes must be playing tricks on him.

"Hubert! Hurry up!" Asbel called.

The blue-haired boy took one final glance behind him before rushing up to catch up with his impatient brother.

**xxxXX To be Continued XXxxx**


	5. Chapter 5

Well...After this chapter, you're all going to hate me. ^_^;

_Disclaimer: I own nothing_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"How much farther, Asbel?" Cheria rasped as she tried to catch her breath. "All we've seen were a few rocks and some small animals."

"Yeah, I don't like it in here…" Hubert said nervously glancing from side to side as if something was going to pop out any minute.

"Just a little farther. We should be close to the treasure by now." Asbel reassured.

"That's what you said twenty minutes ago!" Cheria groaned. "Besides, I'm starting to think that guy tricked us. There's nothing here but these light crystals."

The cave was like a giant maze. Every path they had taken so far had led them to a dead end. Even Asbel was starting to get a little frustrated. However, the adventurous boy refused to head back. For whatever reason, he seemed sure that they must be getting close to their destination.

"I really think we should leave, Asbel," Hubert pleaded. "We've been walking for hours and I'm getting a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."

"It's probably just your nerves," Asbel said as he continued on without a second though.

The three fell in silence as they continued their trek through the dark cavern. Darkness seemed to stretch on forever. No matter how long they walked, it was if they had gotten nowhere.

"Ooh!" Asbel said in awe. He shone his flashlight on an old stone staircase.

"Another dead end?" Cheria cried in exasperation once they reached the top.

Asbel let out a frustrated sigh before he noticed something. He flashed his flashlight over the wall and was surprised to find a strange marking. Not only that, but color of the wall with the marking was different from the surrounding area. It was purple rather than rocky gray and was unnaturally smooth when Asbel ran a hand over the surface.

After observing the strange marked wall, Asbel realized that it was a door.

"Could it be…?" Asbel said. "Could this be the door that leads to the treasure?!"

Cheria looked over at him in surprise. "You mean we found it?"

"All right!" Asbel said in triumph.

He grabbed the middle section and pulled with all his might.

"Rrrrrrrrggggghhh…Crap, it won't…budge…!" Asbel growled.

"It looks like this door hasn't been opened for quite some time. Look at all the dirt that's packed between the middle." Cheria pointed out.

Asbel gritted his teeth. "This door is really starting to piss me off. We've come this far, I refuse to be beaten by this stupid door!"

"I don't think even a grown up would be able to open this door. It's probably rusted shut or something." Cheria said.

"That's fine with me! If I ask a grown-up, it would be like I lost!" Asbel growled. "Besides, on the other side of this door is the treasure we spent hours searching for!"

Cheria could only sigh at Asbel's stubbornness. She glanced over her shoulder and immediately found that something was wrong.

"Asbel…where is Hubert?"

Asbel's frustration against the door turned to concern as he looked over to see that Hubert was indeed gone.

"Huh? Hubert?"

"He wouldn't have gone back without us, would he?" Cheria said worriedly.

Asbel could only scratch his head in confusion. Hubert is a bit of a scaredy-cat, but he'd never ditch them just because he got spooked. If he were to head back, he would at least say something before leaving.

_"You are a fool for coming here."_

"What?" Asbel said upon hearing the strange voice.

He had heard the strange voice before. However, it had been a while since he'd heard it last. Was he going crazy or something?

"Hey, did you hear that?" Cheria suddenly asked.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Asbel looked over at Cheria. She wore a frightened expression, much to Asbel's confusion.

"Huh? Hear what?" Asbel asked as Cheria looked around nervously.

"I…I thought I heard growling…"

Asbel frowned. "I didn't hear anything. Are you trying to get me back for earlier-"

"Shh!" Cheria quickly placed a hand over Asbel's mouth.

Before Asbel could protest, he suddenly caught ear of a low breathing of some sort. Listening closely, Asbel realized that it sounded like a dog growling.

The air in the cavern suddenly felt dense as the temperature suddenly dropped. Something else was here and it was getting closer.

A bead of sweat slipped down the side of Asbel's face as he heart beat loudly in his ears. The two of them stood in silence listening. However, after a moment or two, the growling suddenly stopped.

"Asbel, I think we should leave." Cheria said as her voice trembled.

"It must have been a stray dog or something. Whatever, it must have gotten spooked or something 'cause it's gone now," Asbel said, feigning confidence. "Anyways, we should probably go find Hubert. Make sure he's not huddled in some corner crying."

The sudden sound of rocks falling caused Cheria to let out a shriek before grabbing onto Asbel.

"Hey! Hey! It was just some rocks falling! There's nothing here but us." Asbel said as he shone the flashlight around them.

"See, there's nothing to worry about-"

However, when Asbel pointed the flashlight down the dark tunnel where they had come from, the light fell on a large beast.

Asbel felt his blood run cold upon seeing the creature as Cheria gasped sharply.

The monster had wolf-like features with a mane of icicles that protruded all over its body. It had black fur and ice-like claws that glistened in the bright light of the flashlight. However, it was its cold, crystal eyes that struck fear within Asbel's soul, rendering him unable to move.

"W-What in the world…is that thing?" Asbel managed.

Both Asbel and Cheria were frozen with fear as the beast gazed down at them with a feral look in its eyes.

A vicious snarl escaped from the monster's mouth, creating a puff of hot air to appear from the cold temperatures.

Asbel broke out into cold sweat as he desperately tried to will himself to move. However, it seemed as if his body had other thoughts.

He had never seen anything like it before. The beast looked like it was pulled out of a fantasy/horror novel. Was this the terrifying beast that guy was talking about, the beast that guarded the door?

The thought caused an involuntary shudder to shoot down his spine as he took a couple steps backwards.

"C-Cheria…we have to get out of here…"

Suddenly the monster let out a fierce roar and lunged towards them.

Before Asbel could react, the monster struck him with one of its massive paws. The force sent Asbel crashing into Cheria and hit the stone door.

Unbeknownst to Asbel, his hand had hit the middle of the marked door, causing it to suddenly glow.

With a powerful rumble, the door opened slowly, much to Asbel's surprise. The two children tumbled into the newly opened room in a heap with Asbel on top of Cheria.

Asbel quickly rolled off of her and looked down at her in horror. "No…Cheria!"

The force had knocked the girl unconscious and now lay limply in Asbel's arms. Asbel shook her gently, desperately trying to wake her up.

"No! Come on, stay with me, Cheria!"

The monster let out a threatening growl as it stalked into the room. Letting out a gasp, Asbel scrambled to pick up Cheria as he tried to put as much distance between them and the creature.

Though the room was extremely spacious, Asbel soon found himself backed up against the wall on the other side. He swore under his breath as the monster closed in on them.

Seeing as there was nowhere to run, Asbel decided that the only way through this was to fight. He gently placed Cheria to the side before he glared over at the wolf-like monster.

"Stay back!" Asbel cried as he pulled his wooden sword out from his belt. He gripped the handle tightly, feeling his hands tremble uncontrollably. "I'm…I'm not going to let you hurt her!"

Pushing his fear aside, Asbel lunged at the monster, swinging his sword wildly in front of him.

Letting out a vicious snarl, the monster launched itself at the redheaded boy. When Asbel swung his sword at it, the monster caught the wooden piece between its teeth and snapped it in half with little effort. Asbel let out a gasp before the monster whipped around and kicked him with its hind legs. The boy was sent crashing onto the small staircase that led up to a platform.

A sharp pain erupted in the back of his head, causing an overpowering sensation of passing out beckoning him.

"No…I…I promised I would protect Cheria and Hubert if something bad happened…' Asbel groaned.

His vision started to get hazy and he heard the monster growl hungrily while drawing closer.

'Am I going to die here…?' Asbel wondered as his eyes slowly started to close.

Just as he was about to pass out, he heard the monster suddenly yelp and slammed to the ground farther away.

Asbel slowly forced his eyes open, wondering what was happening. He glanced over and was shocked to see his dad holding the monster around its neck in a chokehold.

"Dad?!" Asbel said as Aston wrestled the monster to the ground.

"Go! Take Cheria and get out of here, quickly!" Aston ordered as the monster struggled furiously underneath him.

The beast let out a frustrated growl as it writhed underneath the man's hold, clawing furiously at the ground while violently shaking its body trying to toss Aston off.

So many questions were running through Asbel's head that he couldn't move. How did his dad know he was here? Where did that monster come from? Did Hubert make it out all right? Is Cheria…

'Cheria!' Asbel realized as he whirled around to see Cheria still lying unconsciously on the ground.

After a moment of hesitation, Asbel quickly got up and rushed over to Cheria. She was still breathing, but he noticed that it was slightly uneven.

'This is all my fault…' Asbel realized while tightly clenching his eyes shut.

A sudden roar snapped Asbel out of his thoughts and he whirled around to see the monster thrashing around more violently under Aston's hold.

Aston had an arm around the monster's throat and tried desperately to keep the beast pinned. However, the monster was able to wriggle free enough for it to be able to escape from Aston's hold and sink its teeth into his shoulder.

"Dad!" Asbel cried as Aston let out a cry of pain before the monster pushed him off and into the wall.

The monster let out a low, threatening growl as it closed in on the wounded man.

"NO!" Asbel cried as he picked up a nearby rock and jumped to his feet.

Asbel threw the rock as hard as he could at the beast, striking it on the side of its head.

With an annoyed growl, the monster turned its attention on the redheaded boy.

"Asbel, no!" Aston cried as he struggled back on his feet.

As the monster closed in on him, Asbel felt fear flood through him once again. His body involuntarily started trembling as a bead of sweat ran down the side of his face.

'Everyone needs me…I can't back down now!'

Asbel swallowed the giant lump in his throat before a determined look crossed over his face. He reached down and picked up the remaining bits of his wooden sword and held it out in front of him.

"Come on, you monster!" Asbel shouted as he rushed towards the monster.

In response, the monster let out a roar before rushing at Asbel with claws and teeth bared.

"ASBEL!" was the last thing Asbel heard before the monster's claw made impact with the side of his head and everything went black.

* * *

_Asbel's eyes snapped open with a start as he drew in a sudden breath. _

_Looking around, Asbel found himself in empty space. The whole area was covered in fog and he couldn't see the ground nor what was in the distance._

_'Where am I…?' Asbel muttered to himself._

_He looked down and was shocked to see that his body was slightly transparent._

_'W-What is happening to me…?'_

_A sudden screech interrupted Asbel's thoughts. Asbel immediately covered his ears from the piercing sound. He had never heard this sound before and wondered what in the world was causing it._

_Once the screeching faded away, Asbel hesitantly glanced up and was surprised to see several shadows amongst the fog. _

_He couldn't make out the details but was certain that the shadows were people._

_Without thinking, Asbel ran towards the distant figures, desperate to find a way out of this place._

_"Does mommy hate me…?" _

_Asbel paused. Was he hearing things or did he hear a little girl's voice? It wasn't a voice he recognized and stayed silent and still so he could listen for the voice again._

_"It was because of me that dad died, wasn't it? If it wasn't for me, dad would still be alive, right?!" _

_The voice this time belonged to a male, further confusing Asbel. What happened to the little girl's voice? What were the voices even talking about?_

_"Why did it have to be me? I never asked for this!" _

_"I'm sorry…I didn't mean it…I…" _

_"…Am I always going to be alone because of this?" _

_"What are you talking about? Who are you? I don't understand!" Asbel demanded, yelling into the fog._

_So many questioned whirled around in his head, though none were answered._

_He had never heard those voices before and was plunged further into confusion. All the voices he heard were different from one another and all sounded as if they were suffering. What were they even referring to? What was causing them all pain?_

_Suddenly, a giant, golden bird appeared in front of him in a flash of light. _

Asbel's eyes widened with a mixture of horror and awe. Despite being afraid of the creature in front of him, there was something about it that gave off a magnificent vibe. He couldn't describe the feelings he was experiencing upon laying eyes on the bird-like creature.

_It had two heads. One had crystal, blue eyes while the other head's were crimson, red. On each of the heads, the creature had a mane of golden fur with two horn-like extensions. The creature's tail was a tangled mess of blue feathers. Its wings were golden with red feathers outlining them. There were also lavender crystal-like spears jutting out of the feathers, which gave off a jewel-like gleam. The bird-like creature stood on two sturdy-looking legs with three sharp talons on each foot that looked as if it could rip anything to shreds._

_Asbel couldn't tear his gaze away from the creature. No matter how much he wanted to run away, he felt as if his whole body was frozen in place._

_What he felt was overwhelming, not at all like how he felt when he faced that giant wolf-like monster._

_The golden bird dipped one of its head towards the boy until both were eye-to-eye._

_Asbel stared deep into the bird's blue eyes, feeling as if the creature was staring straight into his soul. _

_"Will you accept your burdens…? Or will you fall into a pit of your own despair like many before you?"_

* * *

"Ugh…" Asbel groaned as he slowly drifted from sleep to consciousness by the throbbing of his head.

Everything ached and Asbel wondered if he was still alive.

When he finally found the strength to open his eyes, he found himself lying in his bed at home.

"I'm…home…?" Asbel muttered before raising a hand to his sore head.

He flinched slightly upon feeling some material wrapped around his head. Slowly, he brought himself to a sitting position, his head spinning momentarily.

'What in the world was that dream about…?' Asbel wondered to himself. 'And what was that bird? What did it mean by falling into a pit of my own despair?'

The voice sounded strangely familiar, but he couldn't remember where he heard it before.

Asbel let out another groan before looking around the room. Everything looked exactly as he left it except for the fact that most of Hubert's things were gone.

"Hubert…?" Asbel called as his gaze settled on Hubert's empty bed.

Did he make it out of the cave all right? Was he unharmed? Did he come into contact with that wolf monster? Where was he?

Before he could question further, the door to his room opened, allowing his father to step inside.

"Dad…?"

"You're finally awake," Aston said as he strode over to the side of his son's bed. "You've been asleep for several days."

"Several days…?" Asbel said in mild surprise. "W-Where is everyone else? Cheria? Hubert? Are they all okay?"

Aston closed his eyes while turning his head to the side.

"Dad…? What happened?" Asbel pressed on, his eyes wide with anxiety.

After a moment of silence, Aston met Asbel's gaze. "Cheria has been issued to the hospital in Hima, the next town over."

Asbel's eyes widened in horror as he felt his whole body tremble. "No…"

Cheria was terribly hurt because he had been careless. He had promised that nothing bad was going to happen to them, but everything that could have gone wrong did. It was all his fault.

"Do you understand, Asbel?" Aston said. "This is the result of your careless actions. Not only did you put yourself in danger, but you dragged Hubert and Cheria into harm's way as well. You have to take responsibility for your actions."

Asbel looked down at the sheets before mumbling, "Responsibility…How do I…?"

"You can start by changing your attitude and start listening to what you are told," Aston explained while crossing his arms. "You will one day inherit the company from me and thus have to learn to take charge of such responsibilities."

After letting Aston's words sink in, Asbel moved to a sitting position on the bed while he continued to stare hard at the floor.

"I…I need to apologize to everyone…"

He glanced over at Hubert's empty bed once more before an unreadable expression came over his face.

"…Where's Hubert?"

There was a long pause before Aston answered. His gaze was hard and cold, causing Asbel to recline slightly.

"You won't be seeing Hubert anymore." Aston finally responded.

Asbel's eyes widened in disbelief. He jumped off the bed and faced his father as several questions came pouring into his mind.

"What?! What do you mean?! He's all right, right? He-!"

"Your concern is unnecessary. He is fine." Aston said.

Asbel looked at him in confusion. "But then…?"

Aston avoided Asbel's gaze as he turned and walked across the room. "Hubert has been adopted by a family in Strahta, the Oswells."

Asbel's eyes trembled before shaking his head violently. "What are you talking about? What do you mean adopted?!"

"Exactly what it means. Hubert is no longer a Lhant, but Hubert _Oswell_." Aston explained.

Realization came crashing down on Asbel as confusion and anger bubbled to the surface.

"Are you insane?! How could you do that?!" Asbel demanded, his eyes burning with rage.

"The decision has been made, there is nothing more we can do," Aston stated indifferently, only fueling Asbel's anger.

"It's always like this with you! You never tell me what's going on! You never listen to me! You just do whatever you feel like and expect everyone to go along with it!" Asbel shouted indignantly as he waved an arm dangerously in front of him.

Aston was only using him. He had always been a puppet in the man's eyes, nothing more.

"Asbel, I will not have you speak to me in that tone!"

"See? All you do is lecture me, not even caring what I think! I'm done listening to you! I hate you!"

With that, Asbel raced out of the room, leaving his father to sigh and shake his head at his son's behavior.

He burst out the front doors of the mansion, ignoring the calls from his mother.

When he made it the front gates, he quickly found the hole in the wall in the corner and shoved himself through until he was on the other side.

Tears pricked at the corners of the boy's eyes as he ran down the path that led out of town. He was headed towards the hospital Cheria was admitted to in Hima. Despite the pounding in his head, Asbel continued to run as fast as he could. He didn't care how long it would take him to get there. He had to see Cheria.

'This is all my fault! This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't taken her out to that cave!'

Everything looked strange to Asbel, as if something was off. His foot suddenly hit a rock and was sent crashing to the ground.

"Gah!" Asbel cried.

Pain exploded in his head as he gritted his teeth in an attempt to suppress it.

"I can't stop…I can't stop now…!" Asbel growled.

He forced himself to his feet and resumed his long trek to Hima.

Unbeknownst to him, a figure watched him from the shadows.

* * *

After a while of running, Asbel eventually became too exhausted and was able to take a bus all the way to Hima.

He eventually made it to Hima in a few hours and was directed towards the Hima Hospital. People often asked if he was all right considering his bandages. However, he merely dismissed such comments and continued on.

Once he found the building, he rushed in and over to the reception's desk.

"Where is Cheria Barnes' room?!" Asbel demanded.

"I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over. If you're not a relative, you'll have to come back tomorrow." The receptionist replied.

"You don't understand!" Asbel shouted, earning him some curious looks from people who were passing by. "I have to see her!"

"Look, I'm sorry but-"

Before she could finish, Asbel raced past the desk and down the hallway towards the assigned rooms.

"H-Hey! Security!"

Asbel could hear the rapid footsteps of the security guards behind him. Reacting as quickly as he could, he sharply turned down the next hallway and ducked into a nearby room.

Thankfully, the room was not occupied so no one would rat him out. He heard the guards rush past the door, barking orders to be on the look out for a redheaded kid.

Once they were gone, Asbel quietly exited out of the room and started his search for Cheria's room.

The search was difficult; as he had no idea which floor she was on and had to constantly duck into random rooms to avoid security.

However, luck seemed to be on his side as he finally managed to find Cheria's room after an hour of a very tiring game of hide-and-seek with security.

"Cheria!" Asbel cried as he burst through the doors to Cheria's hospital room.

"Master Asbel?" Frederick said in surprise.

Ever since Cheria was admitted to the hospital, Frederick had accompanied her, greatly concerned for her health. Her parents often came to visit during their free time to check on her condition.

Upon hearing his voice, Cheria's eyes weakly opened.

"As…bel…?"

"Cheria? Cheria, are you okay?!" Asbel cried as he rushed to her bedside.

Cheria opened her mouth to speak but was immediately overtaken by a series of violent coughs.

She had an oxygen mask over her face and an IV attached to her arm. Despite the fresh oxygen being pumped into the mask, Asbel could tell she still had difficulties breathing.

Asbel's eyes trembled with emotion before he turned his gaze down at the tiled floor. His whole body began to tremble as he balled his hands into tight fists. It was too much. He couldn't bear to see Cheria like this, especially since it was because of him that she was in this condition.

Suddenly the doors to the room flew open as the two security guards who were pursuing Asbel rushed in.

"We finally caught you, you little punk!" one of the guards growled.

"Wait, please!" Frederick said as he came forward and stepped between Asbel and the guard. "It's all right, he's a family friend."

"He's been disturbing the peace in this hospital. We will not tolerate such behavior, especially from some punk, kid."

"Please, just give him a few minutes and we will be on our way." Frederick pleaded.

The security guards glanced at each other, before letting out a sigh.

"You have five minutes. But he will not be allowed back in."

Frederick nodded before he glanced over at the young boy.

"I understand. Thank you Frederick." Asbel said.

With a small smile, Frederick guided the security guards out of the room. Once out in the hallway, Frederick closed his eyes and bowed his head in sorrow.

"This is all my fault…I'm so sorry, Cheria…" Asbel muttered while choking back a sob. "If only I hadn't gotten the stupid idea to go to that cave…you wouldn't have to be in so much pain."

Silently, Cheria lifted up her hand, which Asbel immediately grasped with both of his.

"…I was…just glad…you didn't forget about me…" Cheria said with much difficulty.

Asbel shook his head. "There was no way I could forget about you! You're my friend, and I would never turn my back on one."

Cheria smiled weakly, her eyes shining. "Thank you…Asbel."

"You're going to be okay. Don't worry, you'll be up and around in no time," Asbel said. His voice trembled as he struggled to believe his own words. "And once you're back to your usual self, I'll take you up to that flower field you wanted to see."

During one of their adventures out into the outskirts of town, Asbel and Hubert had found a beautiful flower field seemingly untouched by a cliffside. When they had told Cheria, she begged them to take her next time they went. However, her condition prevented her from going too far so she had yet to go see it.

"Really…?"

Asbel nodded enthusiastically. "I promise. Just promise me you'll get better soon."

A tear trickled down Cheria's cheek as she did the closest thing to a nod as she could. "I'm holding you to it."

* * *

Two Months later…

A cold, chilling breeze swept past Asbel as he sat by himself on a grassy field. He sat cradling his legs in his arms, staring at the tombstone in front of him with a distant look in his eyes.

Due to her weak body, Cheria was unable to heal from her wounds from the attack and the severe cold temperature that day took their toll. She had died a month and half after the incident in the Hima Hospital.

Many of the townsfolk came to the funeral and had all mourned her death. Cheria always had a cheerful disposition, never once hesitating to help those in need, making her dearly loved by the adults of the town.

Her parents mourned her death the hardest, having lost their only child. Frederick had also taken her passing hard, but continued to serve the Lhant family to the best of his abilities.

Asbel did not attend the funeral as he felt that he had no right to be there.

His mom had questioned him why he didn't attend the funeral. However, Asbel did not see to answer considering his situation. It was his fault that this happened and was sure he would not be welcomed.

Ever since their heated argument, Asbel and Aston had not talked. There was nothing left to talk about and Asbel couldn't stand to see that man's face. He would often lock himself in his room, hardly ever showing his face to anyone.

It was a few days later that he made his decision. He would leave Luin.

Finally rising to his feet, Asbel walked closer to Cheria's grave and laid a hand on the cold stone.

"I'm sorry, Cheria…I wasn't able to keep my promise," Asbel said, his voice trembling with emotion.

He gently placed a couple of lavender flowers before the grave before he pulled a bag up onto his back.

"Goodbye…" Asbel said, bowing his head.

With that, he started down the long path that led out of town. He glanced one last time towards his home in Luin. In the distance he could see the tree in the middle of town where he and his friends would often play under during warm, sunny days. Years ago, the three had made a friendship pact under that tree, having carved their names into the rough bark. There was a rumor that said whosever's names were written on that tree, they would be bound together under a pact of friendship forever.

However, the rumor proved to be false as both Hubert and Cheria were gone. They were not bound together anymore, as Cheria was now someplace where Asbel could never reach.

He couldn't bear to spend one more day here in Luin. With both of his best friends gone, it hurt greatly for Asbel to stay.

Asbel quickly turned away before hurrying back down the path again. A single tear escaped from his eyes before he rushed past the front gates and out onto the long road ahead of him.


	6. Epilogue

**Epilogue: Childhood's End**

The phone rang inside the tidy office of Van Grants with a sharp tone. The dark man glanced at it curiously before he picked it up.

"Yes?"

_"Sir, there's someone outside the building who claims to know you."_

"Hm?" Van said in surprise. "Does this person have a name?"

_"I think he said his name is Asbel Lhant."_

Van paused for a moment before a small grin appeared on his face.

_"Should I send him away sir?"_

"No, he's a friend. I'll come down and welcome him myself."

With that, Van stepped out of his office and walked down the hall towards the elevator. Once he reached the ground floor, he found the familiar redheaded boy standing outside the building's large, glass doors.

He walked over to the boy and gave him a small smile. "I was hoping to see you in the near future. Does this mean that you've decided to take my offer?"

Asbel nodded as he gripped the business card tightly in his hand. "Yes. I'm ready to forge my own path."

Van chuckled. "Good answer."

**xxxXX End of Prologue XXxxx**

* * *

**Well, the prologue is finally done! Now I can move on to the real story. :D Hope you enjoyed this short introduction. Please stay posted for the continuation!**


End file.
